MP signs book in honour of Holocaust victims

Isles MP Alistair Carmichael showed his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day by signing a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to honour those who perished.

As in previous years, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed the Book of Commitment in the Commons to give MPs the opportunity to pledge that they will uphold the memory of the Holocaust and oppose hatred today.

Tuesday marked the anniversary of the liberation in 1945 of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the infamous concentration and extermination camp, which Mr Carmichael visited with local school pupils in 2007.

Mr Carmichael said: “Holocaust Memorial Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and it should also serve as an opportunity to remember and reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust and other genocides.

“Racism and hate are still very much present in our society and together we have a duty to unite our communities and ‘stand up to hatred’. It is essential to continue to educate youngsters about the Holocaust and encourage them to work together towards a better future.

“Seeing the camp at Auschwitz-Brikenau in 2007 was a profoundly moving experience for me. The horror of what was done there is as strong today as it has ever been. As a new generation grows up, inevitably with fewer connections to that period in history, it is more important than ever to remember what happened there and why.”